Chili Recipes

Chili is super versatile, and can be tailored to any diet. We love vegetarian-friendly black bean chili just as much as we love a BLT-inspired version. Whether you're looking for a classic recipe or a twist on and old favorite, these hearty dishes are perfect any time of year. From classic beef chili to a quick three-bean chili, here are fantastic recipes.

Chili is super versatile, and can be tailored to any diet. We love vegetarian-friendly black bean chili just as much as we love a BLT-inspired version. Whether you're looking for a classic recipe or a twist on and old favorite, these hearty dishes are perfect any time of year. From classic beef chili to a quick three-bean chili, here are fantastic recipes.

Chili really benefits from being simmered low and slow. And if you want to use dried beans instead of canned, in a slow cooker, it's never been so effortless. Add them with the ground beef, tomatoes and spices, and just six hours later, you have perfectly tender beans, perfectly delicious chili. For a spicier dish, add a minced, seeded poblano chile or two minced, seeded chipotle chiles in adobo along with the jalapenos.

Some chilis need to simmer for a long time to help the flavors develop. This one doesn’t because Melissa Rubel Jacobson mixes in a little bit of bacon, which instantly adds meatiness and a nice smoky flavor.

Michael Symon defines himself as a “porketarian,” saying he can’t get enough of the meat. For his luscious chili, he uses incredibly flavorful and succulent pork cheeks—an unusual cut worth seeking out. If pork cheeks aren’t available, pork shoulder (cut into 2-inch pieces) can be substituted.

Spicy chili seasonings work wonders for the bland flavor of tofu. For a more substantial, spicy chili, use the same weight of tempeh in place of the tofu. Since tempeh is not packed in water, there is no need to pat it dry before sautéing, but stir in up to one extra cup of water in Step 4 when adding the beans.

“Chili means Halloween to me,” Grant Achatz says. When he was growing up, his mother would always serve it to him and his cousins before they went trick or treating as a way to counteract the sugar buzz to come. The smoky, spicy version here is a slightly modified version of his mother’s chili, made with ancho, pasilla and chipotle powders, plus a homemade blend of seasonings and fresh herbs.

“In this industry, you often don’t eat when you need to,” says Ronnie Killen. “What helped me lose weight was eating at the right times.” He started having real meals with lean proteins, like this turkey chili.

Spiced with árbol and guajillo chiles, this mellow, satisfying chili contains both braised goat shoulder and Rancho Gordo’s Ojo de Cabra (Eye of the Goat) beans. The recipe is also wonderful with pork shoulder in place of the goat and ordinary kidney beans instead of the heirloom kind.

Butcher Tom Mylan of the Meat Hook in Brooklyn flavors his chili with three kinds of dried chiles: fruity guajillos, smoky anchos and a New Mexico chile. After he soaks the chiles in water to plump them, he blends them to form a silky puree, which gives the chili a complex flavor.

Determined to strike a balance between a soup and a stew, Grace Parisi started with a basic recipe and added a bit of tomato paste and flour to thicken the broth, then gave it a kick of flavor with cumin, chile powder and chipotle powder.

Chili first made its appearance in the early 1800s as “chili con carne.” It was billed as a favorite dish in Mexico, although it originated in the American Southwest and was reportedly loathed by Mexicans. Chili rose to great popularity in the 1930s, after World War I had made all-American foods stylish.